Monday, September 5, 2011

More From Scrap Art Exhibit

I have a few more pictures to share with you from The San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles impressive exhibit Scrap Art.
Many of the quilts on display were from Contemporary artists.

Karin Lusnak
Evening Star, 2010
Machine pieced by Karin Lusnak
Machine quilted by Laura Lee Fritz
95" X 95"

I am continually amazed with the artist eye for placing color in just the right spots.
Up close these fabrics might simply read "hot and cold", but from a distance they create a somewhat Van Gogh effect.

Karin wrote:
"Guided by the dictum to recycle and reuse and inspired by Ellen Smith Tooke Vanzant's quilt made in Kentucky circa 1890-1900, I created Evening Star using my own fabric scraps accumulated over many years. As I pieced the fabrics, I was mindful of the work that generated these scraps."



String Quilt, 1890-1900

Unknown

Silks, satins

Hand pieced and hand quilted

62" X 84"


"Each small block in this wonderful string quilt measures just under 1.5 inches, and is made up of six parallel narrow strips of silks, set on the diagonal. By keeping her pieces approximately the same width, and organizing them carefully according to the intensity of color, the quilt maker achieved an overall design that is visually active and organized, all at once. She surrounded her "million mandalas" with a surprising border of wide "piano keys" which works as a pleasing, calming counterpoint to the busy-ness of the central composition. A casual count of the pieces in this quilt exceeds 13,000. This textile resonates with some distinguishing concerns of the Victorian era, specifically a fascination with detail, numbers, and yes, excess." (from the Museum's brochure)


And might I emphasize each block was 1.5 inches, all hand pieced and hand quilted.

4 comments:

Lois Evensen said...

My goodness. Those are all so beautiful!

Karen said...

WOW!!! In awe of both :)

Material Mary said...

amazing quilts. Love them.
Mary

Cindy said...

Amazing. Very beautiful quilts.